There have been numerous tree stands which have been patented and/or marketed for use by hunters and sportsmen. Two successful "sit and climb" tree stands are produced by Amacker, Inc. and are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,316,526 and 4,331,216. The Amacker tree stands, while commercially successful, still leave something to be desired in certain respects. The most important of these is that the Amacker stands damage the trees on which they are used by engaging the tree with spikes or studs, designated by the numerals 6, 7, 18 and 19 in the aforesaid patents. These spikes pierce the bark of the tree and can lead to the spread of disease from tree to tree. Accordingly, in certain wildlife management, stands which use spikes are forbidden. A second drawback is that as a climber ascends the tree the diameter of the tree diminishes. Accordingly the angle of inclination of the sit and climb tree stand changes relative to the tree. Commonly, the climber will estimate the amount of change at the base of the tree and attempt to apply a correction in the initial phase of the climb so that as he reaches his desired height the change in inclination positions the tree stand in a level orientation. This is seldom fully successful. Amacker in U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,526 indicated some adjustment of the angle could be achieved by loosening and retightening a pair of wing nuts when the hunter was at the desired elevation. It would appear that loosening of the tree stand's connective members while in a tree could, in some instances, lead to undesirable results.